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Victoria provided all the highlights on the opening day (Sunday) of the 2013 Australian Under 20 and Ivor Burge Basketball Championships with all six of its teams posting extraordinarily large victories.

The Championships are being held at Launceston’s Elphin Sports Centre and will run throughout the week culminating in the finals on Saturday.

In an impressive display of its depth and strength, five of the “Big V’s” teams exceeded the magical 100 point milestone and all six teams more than doubled the score of their opponents.

In the Ivor Burge competition for players with an intellectual disability, the Victoria Metro women’s team led the charge with a 111-14 demolition of South Australia while their male counterparts posted a 111-43 victory over the ACT.

Victoria Country was equally impressive in the Ivor Burge Championship with its men defeating Western Australia 110-43 while its women’s side defeated Tasmania 67-29. The Tasmanian side can take some comfort in the fact that they were the only side on the day, to restrict a Victorian team to less than 100 points.

In the Under 20 Championship, Victoria established itself as an early favourite in both the men’s and women’s divisions. Its men’s side carried out a clinically precise annihilation of Queensland, taking a 123-49 victory without needing to get out of second gear for much of the game while its women’s side was equally imposing in crushing New Zealand 104-35.

Although failing to pick up a win, Tasmania’s teams lost few friends in their efforts to stay in touch.

Tasmania is fielding a women’s team in the Ivor Burge Championship for the first time since 2004 and although going down 29-67 to Victoria Country, the side showed enough to suggest it will be competitive as the week unfolds.

Similarly, Tasmania’s Under 20 women’s side showed plenty of tenacity in its clash with New South Wales before going down 43-67. The side missed the drive of star guard and Australian Gems squad member Grace Lennox who was a late withdrawal from the championship with a severe ankle injury.

In the Ivor Burge men’s competition, Tasmania took on South Australia and again, showed plenty of promise despite going down 78-97.

Day 1 finished on a disappointing note with the Tasmanian Under 20 men’s side going down to Western Australia 76-84. Tasmania dominated the first half to lead by 19 at the long break but lost its way in the second half as Western Australia went on a 54-27 rampage.

Tasmania’s day 2 program (Monday) kicks off at 10am with the Ivor Burge women’s game against New South Wales Metro. Tasmania then plays Victoria Metro in the Ivor Burge men’s competition at 2.00pm followed by an under 20 women’s match against ACT at 4.00pm and an under 20 men’s clash with Queensland at 6.00pm.